Help
by Moo Berry-Capital K
Summary: After Dev and Karen break up, (sorry for the spoiler) but before Bombshell preview. Karen is cracking under the preasure and in need of help, and Derek, is just the person to give it. 2-shot, Derek/Karen
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, I just had an idea so here it is. I tried to make the charecters realistic**

"No, No, That's not right! Do it again!" Derek Barked.

The cast groaned. Rehersal had run late and It was cold and rainy outside, with a chance of snow. Everyone wanted to get home before the storm hit.

"From The top-"

Karen walked briskly across the dance room, pushing the door open and letting it slam behind her. It was the second time in the last 3 hours she had run out of the room only to return a few minuted later. Derek was getting concerned, but he didn't show it.

"What's wrong with her!" He snapped.

The cast exchanged an akward glance.

"Well?!"

A few mumbles of "Stress" and "Pressure" surfaced from the croud.

"And. . . ?"

"Well. . . . she broke up with her boyfriend and she's hasn't really had much sleep and she isn't holding food down." Jessica said.

Derek groaned, perfect! All he needed was the understudy to get some sort of chest cold or flu from lack of sleep.

"And that's ten!" The stage manager called.

The group broke up and pulled portable coolers or packs out of their bags, some left to for the daily visit to a local snack shop or cafe, but Karen still hadn't returned.

They had three minutes left when she finaly came back in the room. Her face was pale and she looked very tired and she didn't eat. Much to his dismay, Derek did care about Karen and couldn't help but feel concerned.

"Alright were back on, with Fox-Mamba people!" Derek annonced.

They shuffled slowly around, putting away their food, all exept Karen.

"Well, come on! Where's Rebecka?"

"Where do you think?" Ivy snapped, she looked mad but Derek could tell she was praying the movie star wouldn't walk in. With Rebecka gone, she could have a chance to win over the lead.

"Right, where's Karen Cartwrite."

"Here" She said quietly, and stepped forward.

Derek brefly wondered if he should let her sit out but quickly squished the thought.

"Mamba from the top."

The dance went very well, Karen played every move exactly the way she was taught and sang flawlessly despite her appearance.

"-Mambo!"

They all finished in the right spots with Marilyn on the plat form in towards the back. They were met with smattering aplause as Karen sank to her knees.

"All Right, you all need to be a bit more energetic and Karen-"

He looked up from his notes.

"Where is she? She can't have left that quickly!" He sighed

"Karen!" Jessica gasped.

Suddenly the room was filled with noise as cast members turned around and gasped or spoke quietly to one another.

Derek shouldered his way through the crowd to the back and saw Karen colapsed on the floor. He knelt and shook her shoulder hard.

"wake up Karen, come on"

He shock her harder

"Come-on Karen"

He began tapping her face lightly

"She's not breathing!" Someone moaned.

Derek rose a hand, shaking his head before slapping her hard across the face.

He eyes flashed open with fear and confusion as she took a gasp of air. The rest of the cast stared at him in horror.

"Derek!" Tom shouted

"oh come-on Tom, you would never been able to do it."

He returned his atention back to Karen who was sitting up, one hand reaching up to touch her cheek.

"Wha-"

"You fainted, come on." Deriek took her by the arm and pulled her to her feet before anyone could argue.

"Lets go" He pulled her across the room

"I don't need your help" She said angrily.

He opened the door but turned back and said,

"Go over act one, work on energy, I'll see you tommorow"

Then he pushed Karen out the door closing it behind him

Yes? No? Tell me what you think


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi again, here's chapter 2.**

"I don't need your help!" Karen struggled to push Derek away but he kept a firm grip on her shoulders, pushing her forward. For someone who just had to be slapped awake she was a fighter.

"Let me go" He grabbed her wrist with one hand as he hailed a cab.

"I don't need to leave!"

He turned to her, she looked mad and scared and confused all at once.

"Karen," he said gently. "You're not well and I'm taking you home"

It started to sprinkle now.

her face changed quickly to heart broken saddness.

"I- I can't go hom-" He pulled her close as the taxi drove up.

"I know," he whispered in her ear.

He opened the door and nudged her in, sliding in beside her.

"4265, 5th street" She looked over shocked, it was the same adress a certain someone had texted her at ten o'clock the night of her 'coaching sesion'.

They sat in silence untill the taxi stopped, Derek paid and thanked the drived before helping Karen out of the car. She looked even worse then before and didn't even complain when looped an arm around her waist to support her as they walked up the steps.

She leaned on him until they were in the apartment and he had led her to ever so familiar couch.

"Stay here."

"Not like I have anywhere also to go..." She murmered quietly.

He went in to the kitchen and came back with to steaming mugs of tea, but Karen was curled up on a corner of the couch with her eyes closed. He stopped akwardly, should he leave her?

"I'm not asleep" she sat up and looked at him with dull eyes.

Derek sat beside her and handed a mug over.

"And..." He presented a spoon full of chopped-

"Garlic?" Karen wrinkled her nose.

"Trust me, I've directed for years, I know all the tricks of the trade."

"Half of them involve the bedroom" She muttered before downing the herbs with a few gulps of tea.

She shuttered as it burned the pit of her stomach.

"You can sleep in my bed tonight, I'll take the couch."

Karen opened her mouth to argue but he interupted her

"For heven's sake, I just slapped you across the face now let me make it up to you!"

Karen laughed and tried to stiffle a yawn, It was only 7:30 but she felt like she could sleep forever.

"Come-on" He stood up, "Bedroom 's up the stairs and to the left."

He watched her stand up, and blink back dizzyness. She walked slowly to the stairs and looked up uncertainly, noticing the lack of a hand rail.

Derek stood and walked quickly behind her, there was a good chance she could fall again. He placed his hands lightly on her waist and she snapped her head around to give him a look.

"I'm just helping you up the stairs!" He said defensivly. She looked aprehensive but didn't argue.

She took a couple steps, and then a few more. Then she slipped but Derick caught her and pulled her to her feet again,

"Come on, just a little farther..."

Finally they reached the top step and Karen felt her head spin, she pinched the bridge of her nose. Derek realised he still had his hands on her waist and lifted them off.

"You gonna be okay?" He asked akwardly

"yeah, thanks." She said tiredly before walking to the bedroom. He turned and went back down stairs

He was working for another hour and a half before he heard the floor creck behind him. He turned and saw Karen, she was wearing on of his long T-Shirts. It reminded him of the first night she came over. Even if she had pretty much run out of there apartment.

"I-I couldn't sleep," she said shyly

"Come 'er" His voice slurred with tiredness.

She walked quietly over and sat by him. She looked a little better, less pale and fragile.

"what's wrong"

She stared forward.

"I feel so lost" She whispered. "I-I," she sighed and began to tear up.

"I can't go home, i can't see him."

He pulled her closer, but she pushed him away.

"No! This is your fault!" She stood up and turned around.

"Wha-! How is this my fault!?"

"You're the one who slept with Rebecka!" She pointed at him, barley holding back the tears.

"I-"

"No!" She shouted. "She slept with him!"

"What?"

"She slept with him." She said slowly. "Ivy slept with Dev, because she was hurt."

She was crying now and turned away.

"Karen, I don't know what to say."

"Did you know he proposed to me?"

Derek felt his stomach clench up a little, he stood put a hand on her shoulder.

"Karen. . ."

She turned, her face streaked with tears.

"I am so sorry." He said, and he ment it. He reached up, brushing a wave of hair out of her face. He traced a stray tear down her cheek, drawing her forward.

Leaning his forhead against her's, "I'm so sorry," he repeated.

He felt her sigh and wraped his arms around her tiny frame in an embrace. She moved slightly to the side, hooking her fingers in his shirt collar. He could feel the heat of her breath against his neck. She leaned up on her tip-toes, brushing her lips against his.

Derek felt full of exitement, his Marilyn fantisies were coming true, Their day had come. He wanted her, but there would be consiquences. He so wanted to forget his good judgement, throw it away like he had for all the other girls, and find it again when he tired of them.

But some how, he couldn't, not with Karen. She wasn't like all the other girls, he didn't want to use her untill he no longer cared, he wanted to keep her safe.

And know, he wasn't. He couldn't give her what she wanted, what he wanted himself. She was lonely, and he was the rebound. If they slept together, they would both regret it.

"Not tonight Karen," She gave him a puzzled look and pulled away.

"Why-"

"I have a feeling you would regret it for many days to come."

She thought for a minute, but then nodded. This side of Derek was new to her, she expected he would jump right into bed with her but she was wrong. He was thinking of her now, not himself.

"Come on, you need to get to bed" He began to nudge her away.

"Wait! Will, you um- Will you stay with me?" She asked shyly. He looked down, this was the old Karen, the innocent, concerned Karen he feel in love with.

"Yes" He said with a smile.

He walkd to the stairs with her, at wich point she stoped to groan tiredly.

"Ugh! Stairs again"

Without a word, Derek leaned down and scooped her up bridal style. She didn't protest , instead she leaned against his neck, sighing at the swaying motion as he carried her back to his bedroom. Setting her gently in bed, her eyes were already closed. The last thing he heard before dropping off to sleep was her quiet murrmer of thanks.

The End.

Hope you liked it,

BTW- raw garlic, chopped in a spoon really does work. It tastes awful, but put some honey on top and down it with water and it will cure anything. Just DONT TAKE IT ON AN EMPTY STOMACH! and it works like a charm.

**Beyzzzzzzzzzzzz!**


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